Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to online and/or mobile payments and more particularly to systems and methods for allowing multiple payers to quickly and easily make payments to a payee as a group.
Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering credit card or other financial information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Online and/or mobile payments can be complicated when such payments are attempted by a group of payers. For example, a group of payers may go to a restaurant and receive a bill, and that bill must be split between each of the payers. Conventional group payment systems typically involve the manual entry of each of the payers into a payment application, the determination of which items on the bill each of the payers is responsible for, the sending of the appropriate portions of the bill to each of the payers, the provision of a payment account by each of the payers to use in making the payment for their portion of the bill, and finally the sending of an instruction to make the payment. Such conventional systems require a relatively large amount of time in making the manual determinations, entries, and selections discussed above, which may result in those systems not being used in favor of traditional physical payment devices such as cash or credit cards.
Thus, there is a need for an improved multi-payer payment system.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.